Lion Hearted
by Tif S
Summary: AU: OUAT meeting Lion King. A teenage boy wanders into Storybrooke. This boy claims to be running from a kingdom corrupt, a kingdom he is supposed to rule and a kingdom that has ties to one Rumpelstiltskin, a part of his past the man has tried desperately to forget. The boy is afraid to go home, but what happens when home finds him… and the residents of the happy little town?
1. Chapter 1

_**A/N: Hello, here with another new story. As you can probably tell from the title and the summary, this is my attempt to inject one of my favorite Disney movies into my favorite TV show. A few technical things. This takes place after season three. Everything happened as normal, except that Rumpelstiltskin succeeded in killing Zelena, so there is no time portal, no Zelena coming back as Maid Marian and no Frozen. This is a pretty major AU because of that. Everything else happened as in the show. I own nothing. I do not own Once Upon a Time nor the Lion King. This is just a bit of fun. I hope you enjoy this beginning.**_

* * *

 **Chapter One: A Portal and a Prince**

Henry was having a hard time sleeping, and not just because of his crying uncle. He couldn't entirely sort through what had happened. He'd been without his memories, was brought back to Storybrooke by his mom and Hook, been totally oblivious as the _Wicked Witch_ had tried to destroy his family _again_ , and had lost his father without knowing who he was. Their family could never catch a break.

"Hey Kid, how you holding up?" Henry looked up to see his mom holding two cups of cocoa. She sat across from him in the desk chair handing him one of the mugs. Her eyes were red and puffy.

He shrugged lifting the mug to his lips. "Tired." The word was loaded. "I…" He blinked. "He… do you think he knew?"

Her reply was choked with tears. " Oh Henry... of course. Dad knew you loved him."

They sat in silence, staring out the window that looked out to the town of Storybrooke, mother and son taking comfort in each other, lost in their shared grief.

* * *

Mary Margaret bounced baby Neal on her lap watching her husband as he stared out the window intently.

"David," Her voice was a whisper. Neal was just getting sleepy. Best not to break the mood.

"Can you see that?" David leaned forward squinting, staring at a point Mary Margaret could just barely make out in the distance.

 _What can it be this time?_ Mary Margaret felt herself tense, hearing a frightened note in her husband's tone. Maybe there really was something out the window. She walked over continuing to rock her son gently. What she saw made her gasp. A flash of green light, a portal opening, and landing on the concrete under the glow of the streetlights, a young man.

* * *

The boy opened his eyes, blinking away the pain as he took in his surroundings. This was not his home. _So it worked._

Instead he was in a strange place, quite strange. This was no land he recognized. The road was dark. At points he could see posts with light, torches of some kind. But he saw no flame. He could see odd looking objects, carriages sitting on the side of the road including a bright yellow one (the color was bright enough and close enough to the torch that he could see it). He saw buildings along the road including one where a door was opening, and out came a man and a woman. The woman held a baby asleep in her arms.

"Are you alright?" The woman spoke looking directly at him.

The boy stood up, an accented question on his lips. "Excuse me, but what place is this?"

The man and the woman exchanged a look before they turned back to him.

"This is Storybrooke." The man replied.

"Storybrooke?" The boy tested the name on his tongue. "And this is what the kingdom is called?"

"I guess you could say that." The woman said.

"And your kingdom's rulers? They are nearby?"

Again the man and woman exchanged a look making the boy feel even more out of place.

The man stepped forward. "I'm David, this is Snow White."

"My name is Simba. Can you help me?"

* * *

David watched the boy, Simba, exploring the apartment. He was in awe. It was as if he were seeing things for the first time, then again considering he had come through a portal, maybe he was. "We'll have to wait until morning, but you're welcome to spend the night here. Then we can get you a room at Granny's." David said.

The boy smiled, a small and hesitant quirking of lips. "Thank you David."

David observed the boy. He couldn't be much older than nineteen. His lips were cracked, his clothes were little more than rags, of fine make but worn with time. David walked over to the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water. "Are you thirsty?"

A quick nod. David handed Simba the open water bottle. The way the boy drank, it seemed that he hadn't for quite some time.

"You said you needed help?" Mary Margaret spoke from the corner where she was laying Neal in the crib.

"Yes." The boy sighed. "I was told that another land could provide…protection."

"Mom, Dad?" Mary Margaret turned to see Emma on the steps, followed closely by Henry. "What…?" Her eyes found Simba's.

David spoke. "He needs our help."

* * *

 ** _A/N: Well, what do you think? Do you want to see more? The next chapter will involve Simba explaining his situation to the Storybrooke crew, and a flashback to Simba's birth. Please let me know what you think, predictions and how you think the Lion King will translate to One Upon a Time's Universe. I'd love to know._**


	2. Chapter 2

_**A/N: Chapter two is ready. This one was fun to write, a bit shorter than I planned but it just kind of naturally ended. Hope you enjoy nonetheless. Just a brief note, Taka is Scar. I took the name from Disney Wiki, according to which, Taka is Scar's given name.**_

* * *

 **Chapter Two: The Night Must End**

Emma straddled a kitchen chair watching the boy carefully. There was something about the boy that unsettled her, not that she could admit it. She couldn't read him. He watched them with the same intensity even as Henry finished introductions and attempted to start a conversation.

"Did you live in the Enchanted Forest with Grandma and Grandpa?"

A single shake of the head. "My realm is… different than Misthaven."

"Misthaven?" Henry turned to Mary Margaret.

"Another name for the Enchanted Forest." Mary Margaret said. "Is your realm near Misthaven Simba?"

The boy blinked shook his head. "No Majesty. This is the first I have been beyond our lands."

Mary Margaret nodded. "You can call me Snow, everybody does."

"Thank you Maj- Snow." Simba said. He sighed. "I suppose I should share my reason for asking for your help."

Emma looked over to Henry. They knew what he would say, or at least had a pretty good idea. Simba's story, at least as it was in their world, was one of their most cherished New York memories. New York memories. Emma scoffed inwardly. The whole thing was a mess in her mind. She knew that they were fake, had been planted by Regina for their happiness, but those afternoons nursing a sick Henry with Campbell's and Hakuna Matata playing in the background from the worn DVD player, were as real for the two of them as when she had kissed Henry awake after a faulty apple turnover and broken the curse. So the boy's next words were both expected and a surprise.

"My land is dying. My people believe I killed my own father. I cannot return home."

* * *

" _It's a boy Your Majesties." The healer held the swaddled child. Queen Sarabi smiled as she took her son in her arms._

" _He is beautiful. Look Mufasa."_

 _The king looked at his child, the deep brown eyes, the huge smile, listened to the cries settling as the lad's eyes found his. He was darling. And then as the king finished his inspection, panic set in. Was the child supposed to be so small? The swaddling cloth dwarfed him, much too large even for a newborn. His thoughts drifted to another birth, so long ago, and his throat closed. All he could do was nod as the smile on his face wobbled but never left. This was a joyous occasion. He was a father. It was foolish to let old worry ruin this moment._

 _The child let out a loud cry that echoed through the entirety of the healer's wing as the healer laughed. "That is quite a roaring cry. The lad will be strong."_

" _Yes, Simba will be strong." Sarabi smiled as she spoke the name they had decided for a son._

" _He will make quite the able king someday." The healer spoke these words with certainty, a certainty that Mufasa couldn't share._

* * *

The woman stood still, spear in hand, as she watched the creature's movements. A lioness on the edge of the watering hole, meat for weeks if she played this right. But then, the creature must have heard her, looked up and over right where she was hidden, and what she saw in the lioness' eyes made her drop her weapon with a clatter. She _knew_ those eyes.

"Vitani? It's me, Nala."

The lioness snarled, shaking the water off of her fur and walking over to the brush, sitting on her haunches and stretching forward to sniff Nala's outstretched palm.

"Who did this to you?"

Vitani let out a low growl as she stared the way Nala had come, toward the precipice atop of which sat the palace. Her claws dug into hard, dry, earth as she bristled.

Nala knew immediately. "Taka…" She couldn't wrap her head around it. Sorcery? A responsible king couldn't… wouldn't. How could he waste the magic of the land in _this_ way? Mufasa would have never… not even Simba… She shook her head. She knew, even Vitani knew. But no one else did. Except maybe…

"This way!" Nala picked up her spear, motioning her friend forward. They would find the missing prince. They had to.

* * *

It was just before dawn when he awoke. The family had fallen asleep in the living room. He knew he shouldn't wake them, so he stepped carefully around the sleeping woman, Emma. The couple, Snow White and David, and the boy, Henry who seemed to be in the throes of a nightmare. His forehead was lined as he turned giving a low, pain filled moan. The creak of the floorboard under Simba's feet sent Henry's hands flying toward Simba's face as he knelt in an attempt to wake the boy. He gripped the boy's wrists at the same moment his eyes snapped open.

"Wha…?" Henry blinked. "I'm sorry! I… guess I was having a nightmare." Henry sat up as Simba released his wrists.

"It is fine." Simba nodded. "Are you alright Henry?"

He shrugged, tried to smile, but there was none to give.

"Would you care to join me?" Simba nodded toward the window. "I was just going to watch the sun come up."

Henry looked up in confusion as the older boy held out a hand.

"Sometimes… it helps to know it is there."

What neither boy knew as they walked to the window is that Emma Swan was awake and had heard the whole conversation.

* * *

 _ **A/N: So, what do you think? I'd love to know. Next chapter: Emma, David and Mary Margaret talk and enlist Gold and Belle's help as Henry gets an unexpected lesson from Simba. In flashback, young Simba ventures out to see the kingdom with his father.**_


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